Why I Walk:

I was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare and complex congenital heart defect, and underwent my first open-heart surgery at 12 weeks old. I continued to receive routine cardiac care for ongoing follow-up and monitoring of mild valve disease that developed following my surgery. For years, it remained stable, and I was fortunate to live a remarkably healthy and normal life.

In my early twenties, I began experiencing increasingly severe chest pain and shortness of breath. My cardiology team performed one test that came back normal and concluded that my symptoms weren't cardiac-related. What followed was more than a year of appointments, emergency room visits, and referrals from one specialist to another. Despite my history of congenital heart disease, my symptoms were repeatedly attributed to anxiety.

All the while, my symptoms worsened and my quality of life declined, but one thing remained constant: I knew something was wrong with my body even when the answers I was receiving told me otherwise.

After more than a year without answers, I pushed my providers to look beyond the initial testing and further investigate the valve disease that had been monitored since my first surgery. Further testing revealed severe pulmonic and tricuspid valve regurgitation that had progressed to congestive heart failure, and I underwent my second open-heart surgery three months later.

Today, I am healthy, grateful, and more passionate than ever about heart health and the importance of listening to our bodies.

I created Listen to Your Heart to support the American Heart Association and the millions of people whose lives are affected by cardiovascular disease. I walk for survivors, for those we've lost to heart disease, for continued research and medical advancements, and especially for women who deserve to have their symptoms heard and taken seriously.

I've been given the opportunity to keep living my life because of advancements in heart care. My goal of raising $10,000 is one small way of helping ensure someone else gets that same opportunity. I hope you'll walk beside me, support our team, or help us carry this message further.

My reason for listening to my heart may be more literal than most, but it's more than a sentiment — it's a message that has the power to save lives.